298 TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY REPORT. 
with the advent of the practice of grafting, taken to topwork other 
trees and thus became our standard varieties of to-day. It was gen- 
erally found that European varieties were less well adapted to our 
American climate than those which originated here. The prevalence 
of these seedling orchards gave ideal conditions for the selection of 
varieties better adapted to new world conditions than those secured 
from the old. Knowledge of the art of grafting, though probably 
known, was rare until after the Revolutionary War. The first nur- 
sery was established in this State at Flushing, L. I., about 1730. 
Other nurseries were established later, but it was not until about 
the middle of the nineteenth century that, due to the stimulus of a 
large demand for grafted trees for planting in commercial orchards, 
nurseries became common. 
It is stated that in the order of their commercial importance, the 
chief commercial varieties to-day are Baldwin, Rhode Island Green- 
mg and Northern Spy. The first two of these, it is said, supply two- 
thirds of the apples grown for the New York market. Other im- 
portant kinds whose relative value is more difficult to determine are 
Tompkins King, Roxbury, Golden Russet, Hubbardston, Esopus 
Spitzenburg and others of lesser prominence. 
A chapter® is given on the adaptation of varieties for particular 
regions. It is said, and supported by evidence, that practically all of 
the leading varieties grown in New York State to-day are of New 
York or New England origin. This may be expressed in the form 
of a law that varieties are adaptable to regions having about the same 
latitude as the one in which they originated. Some exceptions are 
noted, but they are few compared with the number which conform 
to the rule. Inside of this general law, however, there are many 
. minor differences in the thriftness of trees grown in different 
neighborhoods, due to differences in the soil, drainage, exposure and 
smaller differences in the climate. Neighborhoods are instanced in 
New York State where certain varieties do particularly well. The 
reason for these slight differences can not be definitely stated. 
The definition* of the term “variety” is discussed. They are 
divided into two classes: First, those secured by sexual reproduction, 
that is, seedlings; second, those which arise from asexual repro- 
duction, that is, bud sports. Practically all of our new varieties 
were secured by the first method. The propagation of the variety 
*The Apples of New York, 1:18 (1903). 
_*The Apples of New York, 1:20 (1903). 
is 2- 
